Flipper foot pull toy

ABSTRACT

A flipper foot for a toy uses a cylindrical inner support on a shaft and an outer housing fitting loosely over the support. The outer housing is oblong with rounded ends and has inside dimensions slightly larger than the inner support and includes an oblong slot through which the shaft extends. As the toy moves along, the inner support moves along the inside of the outer housing to one of the rounded ends, rotates the housing 180* to flip the housing ahead of the direction of motion of the inner support and then moves along the inside of the housing toward the other rounded end so that the outer housing rotates 180* then stays still for an interval then rotates another 180* and so on as the toy moves steadily along to produce a flipper foot effect.

United States Patent Campanell 1 Aug. 26, 1975 F LIPPER FOOT PULL TOY Primary ExaminerLouis G. Mancene Assistant Examiner--.l. Q. Lever [75] Inventor. gojiald J. Campanell, Blackwood, Attorney g or Firm cumpston Shaw &

Stephens [73] Assignee: The Quaker Oats Company, [57] ABSTRACT Chicago, Ill. A flipper foot for a toy uses a cylindrical inner support [22] Fllgd: 16, 1974 on a shaft and an outer housing fitting loosely over the [211 App) 3 5 support. The outer housing is oblong with rounded ends and has inside dimensions slightly larger than the inner support and includes an oblong slot through [52] US. Cl. 46/103; 46/206; 46/219 which the Shaft extends AS the y moves along the [51] Int. Cl A63h 11/10 inner support moves along the inside of the outer [58] Field of Search 46/103, 206, 211, 219, housing to one of the rounded ends, rotates the hous 46/221 243 243 2079 305/6 ing 180 to flip the housing ahead of the direction of motion of the inner support and then moves along the [56] References Cited inside of the housing toward the other rounded end so that the outer housing rotates 180 then stays still for UNITED STATES PATENTS an interval then rotates another 180 and so on as the 1,155,872 10/1915 Beard 305/6 toy moves steadily along to produce a flipper foot efl,206,500 ll/l9l6 Beard 305/6 feet 3,609,804 10/1971 Morrison 305/6 3 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEB AUGZ 6 I975 FIG.

FIG-5 FLIPPER FOOT PULL TOY THE INVENTIVE IMPROVEMENT There is an endless demand for novelty, entertainment value, and amusing simulations in toys, and the invention involves recognition of a simple and effective way of making a flipper toy simulating walking motion of a person, bird, or animal. The invention aims at simplicity, reliability, ruggedness, durability, and inexpensive and safe construction in a flipper foot movement having an amusing effect enhancing play possibilities with a toy.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The inventive flipper foot includes a cylindrical inner support on a shaft and an outer housing fitted loosely over the inner support. The outer housing is oblong with rounded ends, and the radius of the inside of the rounded ends is slightly more than the radius of the outside of the inner support, and the inside width of the housing is slightly more than the diameter of the outside of the inner support. The outer housing has an oblong slot through which the shaft extends, and some of the weight of the toy is placed on the inner support so that as the toy moves, the inner support moves along the inside of the outer housing to one of the rounded ends, rotates the housing 180 as the support moves relative to the rounded end to flip the housing ahead of the direction of motion of the inner support, and then the inner support moves along the inside of the outer housing toward the other rounded end. The effect is a 180 flip of the outer housing followed by an interval of rest, another 180 flip and so on as the toy moves steadily.

DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective view of an example of a toy having flipper feet according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the toy of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the toy of FIG. 2 taken along the line 3 3 thereof;

FIGS. 4a 4c are cross-sectional views of the toy of FIG. 2 taken along the line 4 4 thereof and showing movement of the inventive flipper foot in Operation;

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of an inner support roller for the inventive flipper foot; and

FIG. 6 is a view similar to the view of FIG. 3 and showing a traction surface for the outer housing of the inventive flipper foot.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Toy 10 of FIG. 1 is a simulated penguin provided with flipper feet 11 and moved along with a pull cord 12. The lower rear 13 of toy 10 skids along the floor or other support surface, and a portion of the weight of toy 10 is on flipper feet 11 which move in an amusing manner simulating the foot work of a penguin. Flipper feet 11 can be applied to many other toys and simulations including persons, animals, birds, vehicles, etc. Any desired number of flipper feet 11 can be provided on any one toy, and flipper feet 11 can be made in various ways as described below.

Flipper feet 11 are mounted on a shaft or axle 14 as shown in FIG. 2, and each flipper foot 11 includes an inner support 15 and an outer housing 16. In one preferred embodiment, inner support 15 is formed as a rotatable wheel or a roller on axle l4 and rolling along the inside of outer housing 16, and in another preferred embodiment, inner support 15 and shaft 14 are fixed so that support 15 slides along the inside of outer housing 16. Although either arrangement works satisfactorily, the rotatable inner support 15 will be described first.

Outer housing 16 has rounded ends 17 andis generally oblong and hollow as illustrated. It has a slot 18 allowing longitudinal movement of axle 14 relative to housing 16, and preferably a wall 19 closes the outside of housing 16 opposite slot 18 on the inside wall of housing 16.

As best shown in FIGS. 4a 4c, the inside of housing 16 is slightly larger than cylindrical support roller 15. Hence, the inside radius of rounded ends 17 is slightly larger than the outside radius of support cylinder 15, and the width of the inside of housing 16 is slightly wider than the outside diameter of roller 15. This allows roller 15 to roll along the inside of housing 16 from one rounded end 17 to the other. Since housing 16 has frictional contact with a flooror support surface, and since roller 15 has frictional contact with the inside of housing 16, when roller 15 rolls as indicated by the arrows into rounded ends 17 it flips housing 16 180 in the direction of the arrow of FIG. 4b to accomplish the sequence preceeding from FIG. 4a through FIG. 4b to FIG. 40. Roller 15 then rolls along to the other rounded end of housing 16 where the 180 flip is repeated.

To increase the frictional contact between roller 15 and the inside of housing 16, knurling 20 or other high friction surface can be formed around the circumference of roller 15 as shown in FIG. 5 or around the inside of housing 16. This insures a sufficient grip between roller 15 and housing 16 to accomplish the 180 flip motion shown in FIGS. 4a 40.

Housing 16 preferably substantially enclosed support roller 15 and is preferably formed of an outer part 21 having outer wall 19 and an inner part 22 having slot 18, and as shown in FIG. 2, parts 21 and 22 are secured together along a junction line 23 to enclose support 15 inside housing 16. Outer part 21 and inner part 22 are preferably molded of plastic material so they can be joined along seamline 23 by ultrasonic welding, fusion, solvent bonding, adhesives, or other fastening means. Also a seamline can be located in other places on housing 16.

For the embodiment using a fixed cylindrical support 15 on a fixed shaft 14 as shown in FIG. 6, housing 16 preferably has peripheral ridges and grooves 24 or other traction surface to afford a high friction grip with the floor or ground over which toy 10 is moved. Then, as support cylinder 15 slides around the rounded ends 17 of housing 16, traction surface 24 has a sufficient frictional grip on the support surface so that housing 16 is given the flip illustrated in FIGS. 4a 4c.

In operation, toy 10 can be moved along in either direction with part of its weight on supports 15 which can either slide or roll in outer housings 16 to produce the 180 flip, hesitation, flip, and so on, the flipper feet 11 can have a variable phase relationship to each other during the course of play for flipping simultaneously or independently, or anywhere in between. One flipper foot can be used with a slot on each side to accommodate a through shaft for the inner support, three or four or more flipper feet can be used, and flipper feet can be put on a wide variety of toys. Flipper feet can have openings at the outside of housings 16 so that the action of the inner support relative to the outer housing can be better observed if desired. Inner supports and outer housings can be formed of many materials, and at least for outer housings 16, plastics are preferred.

Persons wishing to practice the invention should remember that other embodiments and variations can be adapted to particular circumstances. Even though one point of view is necessarily chosen in describing and defining the invention, this should not inhibit broader or related embodiments going beyond the semantic orientation of this application but falling within the spirit of the invention. For example, those skilled in the art will appreciate the many ways the inventive flipper feet can be adapted to particular toys.

I claim;

1. A flipper foot pull toy comprising:

a. a toy figure having a pull cord for pulling said toy figure along over a support surface;

b. a pair of generally cylindrical and approximately smooth surfaced inner supports on opposite ends of a shaft extending through said toy figure;

c. an outer housing fitted loosely over each of said inner supports and having a generally smooth inside surface;

d. said outer housing being oblong with rounded ends, the radius of the inside of said rounded ends being slightly more than the radius of the outside of said inner support, and the inside width of said outer housing being slightly more than the diameter of the outside of said inner support;

e. said outer housing having an inner portion formed of plastic material with an oblong slot through which said shaft extends and an outer portion formed of plastic material and joined to said inner portion to enclose said inner supports;

f. means for placing a portion of the weight of said toy on said inner support to establish a first frictional engagement between said inner support and said outer housing and a second frictional engagement between said outer housing and said support surface so that as said toy is pulled, said inner support moves along the inside of said outer housing to one of said rounded ends, and by cooperation of said first and second frictional engagements, rotates said outer housing as said inner support moves relative to said one rounded end to flip said outer housing ahead of the direction of motion of said inner support, and then said inner support moves along the inside of said outer housing toward said other rounded end; and

g. said inner supports being freely slidable within said outer housings to facilitate cornering and to allow variation in the phase relationship of said flipper feet during movement of said toy.

2. The pull toy of claim 1 wherein said inner support and said shaft are fixed and said inner support slides along the inside of said outer housing.

3. The pull toy of claim 1 wherein said inner support is rotatable and rolls along the inside of said outer hous- 

1. A flipper foot pull toy comprising: a. a toy figure having a pull cord for pulling said toy figure along over a support surface; b. a pair of generally cylindrical and approximately smooth surfaced inner supports on opposite ends of a shaft extending through said toy figure; c. an outer housing fitted loosely over each of said inner supports and having a generally smooth inside surface; d. said outer housing being oblong with rounded ends, the radius of the inside of said rounded ends being slightly more than the radius of the outside of said inner support, and the inside width of said outer housing being slightly more than the diameter of the outside of said inner support; e. said outer housing having an inner portion formed of plastic material with an oblong slot through which said shaft extends and an outer portion formed of plastic material and joined to said inner portion to enclose said inner supports; f. means for placing a portion of the weight of said toy on said inner support to establish a first frictional engagement between said inner support and said outer housing and a second frictional engagement between said outer housing and said support surface so that as said toy is pulled, said inner support moves along the inside of said outer housing to one of said rounded ends, and by cooperation of said first and second frictional engagements, rotates said outer housing 180* as said inner support moves relative to said one rounded end to flip said outer housing ahead of the direction of motion of said inner support, and then said inner support moves along the inside of said outer housing toward said other rounded end; and g. said inner supports being freely slidable within said outer housings to facilitate cornering and to allow variation in the phase relationship of said flipper feet during movement of said toy.
 2. The pull toy of claim 1 wherein said inner support and said shaft are fixed and said inner support slides along the inside of said outer housing.
 3. The pull toy of claim 1 wherein said inner support is rotatable and rolls along the inside of said outer housing. 